A £575,000 project to regenerate Erewash Canal Corridor in Derbyshire has been completed as part of a wider £5m programme to reinvigorate the region's waterways.

East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) launched the programme last year, with 22 projects currently in progress designed to cover a wide range of areas, including restoration schemes and riverside developments. The project at Erewash Canal Corridor included land remediation to improve accessibility, as well as the regeneration of disused buildings. Preservation and remediation work has also been completed at Cromford Canal.

Initiatives are also currently taking place to improve 1.5km (0.93 miles) of waterside at Bugsworth Basin and Whaley Bridge, as well as a canal basin project at Chesterfield Waterside. EMDA has been working with Derbyshire Council Council and British Waterways (BW) on the programme. Glenn Millar, economic development manager at BW, said: "EMDA's funding is being used for the development of a series of transformational projects alongside Derbyshire's waterways."

Anthony Payne, EMDA's land and development director, said: "Research has shown that there are significant economic benefits to be gained from developing waterways across the East Midlands. This is why we took the step to offer a financial incentive to kick-start this important work." "The goal of our Waterways Fund is to deliver long-term regeneration benefits. The overall effect will help to improve quality of life, tourism and green transport options."